This civilized exchange was conducted during the opening 20 minutes of the new Ron Howard movie "Rush," which was screened in Manhattan on Thursday, hosted by The Cinema Society and Ferrari.

Alas, a certain beautiful blonde just couldn't stop talking — to her seatmate — and on her cellphone. She was finally silenced by no nonsense Elle/Cosmo writer Sergio Kletnoy. I can't repeat what he said, but suffice to say it had the desired effect. (The blonde is Swedish model and actress Victoria Silvstedt. She really is a terribly nice girl. But she needs to channel her love to talk in some other way. Maybe "The View" needs a hot blonde?)

Believe me, "Rush" is not a movie you want to talk through. In fact, it is hard to catch one's breath as it progresses. It is the true-ish tale of Formula One racing champs James Hunt (Chris Hemsworth) and Niki Lauda (an astonishing Daniel Bruhl.) It's about their nearly deadly rivalry. I'm not much of a racing fan, but director Howard beautifully captures the mise en scene of the mid-1970s, when racing and its stars were peaking. It is impossible not to get caught up in the tale, a slow burn that builds and builds until you are all but convinced you are right there in various European and Asian cities, behind the wheel, determined to win at any cost.

Howard's spot-on directing plays a major role in conveying the excitement. But the leading men, Hemsworth and Bruhl, are almost never off screen and carry the film through every twist and turn and blazing wreck. Hemsworth is almost distractingly beautiful, like a more finely chiseled — not to mention younger — Brad Pitt. His thick head of hair alone is poem-worthy. (The one fast glimpse of his naked backside had the audience audibly yelling out, "Let's see more!") And he can act. It's a difficult role. He plays a talented but feckless playboy racer, a drinker, a womanizer, unable to commit. Still, you root for him.

Bruhl, on the other hand, while shorter, and meant to be less attractive, is driven, somewhat humorless and utterly professional. You root for him, too.